The Study on the Transfer of Plot Ratio for Preservation of Antiquites and Monument

The Government considers to define some parts of old buildings as antiquities. And yet a majority of them are privately owned and could be redeveloped with a higher plot ratio. So some developers request to transfer the plot ratio to other developing items. Currently, the Planning Deparment is conducting a study on this issue and consider to allow the plot-ratio transfer on a case basis.

Fung Chin Kuen, Director of the Planning Department, said that as recently some private developers had to preserve antiquites on some developing sites, they applied for the transfer of plot ratio. Since allowing the transfer of plot ratio for reason of antiquities preservation would affect the existing ordinance, the Department have to conduct a study on this issue before making any general judgment. At most she only can make decision case by case now.

To achieve antiquites preservation, the Planning department has since maintained a close contact with Antiquites and Monuments office. Fung Chin Kuen thought that monuments of historial value in Hong Kong should be preserved, to a certain extent which can support tourism development. Any developable land which has antiquities and monuments should be preserved with all efforts. As regards urban redevelopment strategy, the old fabric of high historical value would be protected too.

According to the new town planning ordinance bill, the development with special design which is close to antique buildings must obtain the approval of the Town Planning Broad. The review of those developments by the Town Planning Board is to ensure that those development not only preserve the antique structure, but also integrate well into the neighboring environment. If the integration is well done, it can make the new development more multiflarious in design.

Due to the increasing of environmental awareness in recently years, Mr Fung thought that planning should take into account environmental protection before a new development may threaten an environment, expecially those possessing high ecological value. Otherwise, when the new development is proceeding, it is more difficult to protect them by amending existing plans.

Mr Fung spoke frankly that planning and environment protection are a pair of evil twin. During the period of planning, the Deparment will conduct a study on the ecological value of development sites. Once the new development would threaten an environment, the department have to choose a new site for environmental protection. From the planning point of view, planner is responsible for protecting environment under the spirit of sustainable development. However balancing the needs of economy, environmental protection and society is like walking on a thin line.

As the information on the sites of ecological value and environmental protection in Hong Kong is very scarce, it is very difficult to achieve the goal of environmental protection in planning. So planning becomes a lot more challenging job.

Recently, the Planning Department has defined three sites in Northwest and Northeast New Territories as the town of environmental protection. In future more sites are chosen for development in New Territories. Since the limited extent of reclamation in urban areas fails to satisfy the housing needs of the increasing population, new town development would concentrate in New Territories.

New town development will grow along railway such as East Rail and West Rail. Also as Northeast and Northwest New Territories can provide more flat lands, residential development will concentrate over there, despite the far lacking of infrastructure such as transportation.

As regards the flight of Hong Kong manufacturing factories towards South China, the vacancy rate of industrial lands is increasing. The new report on the industrial lands recommends that industrial use lands should be changed into other uses. Recently, 165 hectare of industrial-use land is changed into a commerical belt; 47 hectare becomes residential-use lands. Due to economic restructuring in Hong Kong, the Planning Department watches over the changing demand of Industrial land such that she can adjust OZP to satisfy market needs effectively.

Nevertheless, the Planning Department will not rub out "industrial land use" once for all as there are some traditional manufacturing industries in Hong Kong such as Freight terminals and Cargo loading areas, which are key to Hong Kong trade development.

(Remark: The original article is written poorly! Unclear Noun, Unclear Meaning, Fragmented, Loosely Constructed!!!)

The article is translated from the original one published in Hong Kong Economic Journal